Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-04-03
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.
DEVOTED TO BROWNIES FORTUNE
Two days a~fterward, Rip anne once
more in search Of Shirley He wore a very
long face.
''Missiz," said be, she's went and done
it"
What do mean?'
Brownies run away wit WabbnObbs."
"Oh, no, Rip, she only went down to
Linwood an hour ago
She took the train into Cbesterton.
He'll meet her there, and they are going
TO be married this day. / heard EN- plan
ming it yesterday.
Shirley turned pale at that.
is true:' she asked.
its the Gods truth / tell you. I'd
have come to last night, but | didn't think
she'd have the sand TO do il ! thought
she'd weaken at the last minute
Shirley was stunned. For Once in her
life she was IT = loss.
'tOh, what shall / do" she exclaimed.
Take the next train and 90 after her.
Here's where you'll find her, holding a
card. Il know my g~entlcman's places
Catch her before they are married. Show
him this letter from his wife. stole it
from him. Come, shin out lively, now
There was no time TO lose. Rips advice
was plainly sound. She wa off like the
wind.
Say, missiz, you won't give Inc away"
Surely not; I'll do anything for you.
If ! can only save Brownie
Because" said Rip, a teller don't jist
like 10 have a gal down on him"
But Shirley was away already.
Game" said Rip 10 himself. Them
Carstones is game to the backbone. But
| didn't think t'Other one would do it
The little devil, Ii it hadn't been for his
money she wouldn't have wiped her feet
on him. No, by COLL! She wouldn't have
married him no more than she would
marry me? She'd have Hoped with a hand
Somer man.
Rip gave q iaunty twist 10 his old SLOUGH
hat, and Strengthened himself up.
There amt many worse men than me,
| reckon. but ! fatter myself there's worse
lookin' ones. Now he's t'Other way. There
NAV be worse men i'll the world than him,
but I'm COLL dinged if | believe there's
many worse loOkin' ones
Coll dinged'' was the favorite Linwood
swear word.
Rims had news was all too true. Brownie
had gone. Shirley followed by the next
train, be heart in her mouth lest she should
be too late.
She went TO the place to which Rip had
! directed her.
Brownie was there alone. She started
when she saw Shirley, and made as If TO
run away. Then she sat still and put on a
defiant pout.
Are you married. asked Shirley.
No"
Thank heaven exclaimed Shirley.
But I'm going TO he in half an hour.
Don't say a word; il won't do any good
You goose, you! The mans got a wife
already
Il don't believe it
Here's a letter FROM her. She tells
him the children have the whoopinE cough.
She wants some money. It's regular
matrimonial affection. You see; no doubt
about it. or. if YOU doubt il further,
have seen a man who knows the whole
family
Brownie snatched the letter.
Let me see" she exclaimed.
She looked at it and groaned cloud.
she begins it, My dear Bill, and she
spells dear deer, and she writes Bill
with a little my deer bill.
My deer bill came il 81 that mOmen
Brownie glared at him.
You've got a wife already
ITS no such thing.'
Put it is. Look here at this letter from
her. You really must Reuse me Mr..
Wahbnobhs, butt couldn't think of marry
ing a man Whose wife has no more IT.
spect for him han 10 call him Bill with q
little b.
Then Shirley spoke. She said only a
few words, but they were her kind OF words.
He wilted under them As If he had been
scorched. He even sought TO excuse HIM
sell
''She was ve!y willing 10 go with me,
he muttered suikily. 1t was her fault a.
much as mine. Your sister
Brownie whirled ON him in a fury.
ooh. the shame of him she exclaimed.
Hear the man, To blame it on a woman,
You're mean all through
And again she exclaimed, rather unreal
| sonably. il must be confessed
TO blame it on a woman.
Then under the double fire, like Satan
in the old story, he went his way aud
was seen no more
Brownie kept a brave enough front till
deer bill was out of sight and hearing.
Then she gave way to wild storm Of tears,
rage and wounded vanity. For an hour
she was a very desperately angry and hu-
inflated young lady, till at last Shirley
said.
There now. I'm disguised with yon!'
It'll be all over town. Oh, Lord
groaned Brownie. What will the Fro
bisher girls say"
I've a plan" said her sister. only
hold your tongue and they'll never know 1t.
Nobody will know it
But how
You want to 90 10 New Orleans. I'll
take YOU there. 1t is not convenient, and
is expensive. but we'll 20. Wewill start
al once. tonight. Nobody will know then
but that was what We came down here for,
unless, indeed, you tell it,
Il tell it,
Thus Brownie was saved from her own
folly, saved from a fate which would have
been To her, when she came 20 realize II,
worse than death. II she thought Of her
escape once in the happy after years, she
thought of il q thousand times, and shud-
| dered every time. As she remembered how
nearly she zane 10 throwing away her life.
But bow did you 6nd out about it?'
she asked Shirley once.
That" replied Shirly, gravely, lis
something will never tell you
So ended one more of Brownies eIploi-
tations Tor the fun Of it" After that
they said no more about it either way.
Patience, reader, Each trivial episode
Is a link in the chain OF the CsrstOne his
tory.
The sisters went to the fair south, 10 a
land OF msgnolias and hooking birds, Of
roses and oleanden, "A land where it Is al
ways afternoon
They made some pleasant acc uaintaDees.
One was an elderly English gentleman who
was making a tOur OF America He had =